Two more candidates want to chair NC Democratic Party

The field of candidates for N.C. Democratic Party chair is getting crowded, with two more hopefuls entering the contest this week – bringing the total to six.

The latest additions both ran unsuccessfully for elected office in November. Tommy Davis of Moore County ran against incumbent state Sen. Jerry Tillman, garnering 29 percent of the vote.

Davis is a former building contractor and real estate agent who now works at Lowes Home Improvement, according to his Facebook page.

Marshall Adame of Jacksonville also joined the race this week. He ran against Republican Congressman Walter Jones in November and received 32 percent of votes. Adame is a retired U.S. Marine and also served in the State Department in Iraq.

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Adame and Davis will face four others in the Feb. 7 election in Pittsboro: former state Rep. Patsy Keever, transgender activist Janice Covington, former Congressional candidate Ron Sanyal and Salisbury businesswoman Constance Johnson.

Hundreds of Democratic Party leaders from across the state are expected to vote on a successor for embattled chairman Randy Voller.

The crowded field is a big contrast from the party’s election two years ago. Former state Sen. Eric Mansfield dropped out, leaving Voller as the only candidate actively campaigning. Voller then nearly lost to former Congressman Bob Etheridge, who’d agreed to serve if elected a few hours before the meeting.

The party’s African-American Caucus will be hosting a candidates forum at 7 p.m. Wednesday at party headquarters on Hillsborough Street.

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